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Good Morning Spinner78

Sorry about the delayed response, I was having connection problems for a couple of days to the forum.

Garcia bought Conolon from Narmco in mid 1960, right after its move from Costa Mesa to Santa Anna California. In order to spin off Conolon from the parent company they formed a wholely owned subsidiary Corporation "Conolon", so the first none Garcia rods as well as the first Garcia rods for 1960 carry the same simple "Conolon" fish decal mostly with a "Live Fiber" within the decal. To the best of my Knowledge from its early beginnings in 1945 in San Diego right up until 1963 or 1964 no Narmco-Conolon rod carried line weight designations or action type or rod length. Only a simple model number, sometimes a name like Trojan or Fanwing. In addition none of the Narmco fly Rods was every painted, rather they were left in the original Tabacco colored clear coated fiberglass, you could see the different glass cloth paterns used during the history of the company. During the early days the rods were coated with Varnish, however not until 1959 did any of the Varnish coatings include a UV filter to protect the rod itself from getting a burn. thus many of the late 50s Narmco Rods have a patient pending line on them, this refers to the UV coating contained within the Varnish that Narmco Research came up with. During this same period Narmco Reseach came up with Paint as well that became a bond with the glass itself in a seperate pre wrap process, this bonded color process was called Conolock, and also contained UV blockers and was first used on most of the rest of the line except the fly rods, each color designating a rod series.

This then brings us to the first of the true real Garcia Conolons for the 1961 mfg year. These Fly rods came in Four Destintive models. The Top of the line Custom made rod, the Royal Javaline, clear coat finish natural tabbacco blank with Jasper wraps. The Gold painted fly rods, then the Brown fly rods and finally the blue Rods. The info line on these early rods is quite simple, there was no prefex or suffex, simply (example) 2405 withing a rectangular boarder decal. No line weight designations or rod length etc. Some will carry Conolock or Conoguard designation depending on the finish process.

Next in 1962/63 came the really nicely finished painted Conolons, they seem to carry far more metalic material within the bonded paint, I especially like the metalic blue series from this and the next period best. This first change continues to have four series. The Royal Javaline is still the Custom Made top of the line, but now is a Redish Brown painted blank with Redish brown wraps and black underwraps. This series now gets the Featherweight Sizematic Ferrules with O rings. The Gold series is now called the 5 Star Companion Series and gets the Featherweight Sizematic Ferrules as well. Another big change in the Gold series is the size and color of the Agate Stripping guide. On the earlier 61 model its much like the old bamboo rods, a very small ID, perhaps 5mm and red agate in hard chromed frame. On the 62/63 model its an Elgin supplied black agate in hard chromed frame, much larger ID though. More in keeping with modern glass fly lines. Also several of the lower snake guides are upsized as well from the 61 offering, as well new wrap colors. The Brown series is called the 4 Star Companion Series and gets the in house made drawn brass and chromed ferrules,with full overwrap. Changes are the grip style and new mass produced plastic grip cap and new wrap colors. The Blue series is now the 3 Star Companion Series, gets the new in house extruded overwrapped ferrules, wrap colors but maintains the older hard rubber grip cap from the Narmco line. Except for the Royal Javaline Series the rest picks up new decaling to include a suffex, all are now (Example) 2405 T rods, all have both the old and new line weight designations as well suggested tapers such as Dry Fly or Bass and the overall rod length as well. Most are decals with a white base.

In 1964 several changes take place. The new Top of the line rod is the Custom Series, no stars and no longer is Companion listed as part of the model. Next is a new series called the Deluxe Series, these are now the new 5 Star Series, behind them the Gold Series with 4 Stars, then the Brown Series with 3 Stars, the Blue Series drops to 2 Stars and all the new models have new suffex's as (example) 2405 B.

Anyway a long story short the progression as things change again, adds a green series to the line and a solid glass rod series with black blanks. With this change the rods get a suffex of C such as 2404 C. Other changes about this same time period (1970) include the dropping of the older Custom Series of fly rods and their replacement with the Charles Ritz and Lee Wulff Series of Custom rods. The combination of the best of the Deluxe Series and Gold series rods into one new redish brown series of 5 Star rods, the brown series being 4 Stars and the new Green Series becomes 3 Stars. The Blue and black series carrry no stars. At this point the Brown series gets new Elgin Agate stripping guides and all models that get them become suffex D models. Some with even more changes like the 2404 D morf into the 2404 DL.

In the mid 70s many changes within the Series happen and we see whole new model numbers within a series to include prefex's such as N or A to disignate changes like tip over butt glass ferrules, glass spigot ferrules etc. Finally in the late 70s until the plant closed in 1982 most of the higher end rods with the inclusion of glass/graphite composits and all graphite rods, get all new model numbers, of the very last series after 1977 or 1978, Garcia has had the name Conolon removed from the final production of rods made in Santa Anna. Only the model numbers designate the sourse. After the plant closes in 1982 remaining semi finished high end rods are sent to the Garcia Service centers in New Jersey and Canada for final assembly. At least the Canadian rods are decaled as being made in Canada.

In Short your 2638 B was made between 1964-65. Should have some of the best metalic blue paint that Conolon produced, and should be a fine Salmon-Steelhead or Bass rod. About the only negative I can say is they had IMHO to few guides, I would have preferred to see at least 8 snakes plus the stripper on that model. Your model has a baby blue paint under the guides so its somewhat harder to duplicate should you want to add a few extra guides. The slightly earlier model T doesn't so its a bit easier to add guides too. Still its a fine rod and an awful pretty one to boot.

Richard